A total of 150 (sub) samples of dung were viewed under the microscope, which led to 15,000 observed fragments.
The diet of puku in Kasanka NP, when speaking of the Kasanka River puku, (Table 3-2) was marked by a very high amount of grasses. The amount of monocotyl plants was always above 99%. The diet comprised 15 grass species. Dung samples of puku could be collected during all seasons including after the onset of the rains in November 2010. Except for the late rainy season 2011, a differentiation between male and female puku was possible.
Grasses with a generally high amount in the diets were Brachiaria sp., Panicum ssp. and Sporobolus ssp. with the males having a generally higher amount in Brachiaria sp. than females through all seasons. This grass was taken especially in the hot dry season, after the onset of the rains and above all in the late rainy season when contributing to 66% to the puku’s diet. In the cool dry season, Brachiaria sp. had an amount of only 10% and 14% in females and in males, respectively. Except for the period after the onset of the rains, Panicum ssp. was taken in higher amounts by females than by males. The amount of this grass in the diets remained relatively high throughout all seasons and was highest in the cool dry season with 36% in females and 26% in males. Sporobolus ssp. was taken by male puku in the cool dry season with an amount of 33% in the diet, whereas it reached only 2% in females in the same season. It was the third-important grass for males, but not for females, in the hot dry season and after the onset of the rains as well as for puku in the late rainy season. In female puku, the Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses were the third-important plants, but without reaching high values neither in the hot dry season nor after the onset of the rains. In the cool dry season, puku females showed a fairly high amount of Phragmites australis in their diets. The food spectrum of puku was generally broader in the cool dry season, as amounts of different grasses were relatively equal; diet breadth values and the
number of food items per sample were relatively high. The puku’s diet was narrow in the late rainy season, where Brachiaria sp. made up 2/3 of the diet while other grasses were poorly consumed. Oryza sp. and Tristachya sp were not found in the diets of puku. The grasses Loudetia sp., Melinis nerviglumis, Pennisetum sp. and Cyperus papyrus were taken in very small amounts only. Cynodon sp., Digitaria sp., Hemarthria altissima and Setaria spp.
were taken in relatively small but more consistent amounts. Eragrostis spp. was found in small to sometimes medium amounts in the puku’s diet.
The results of the puku-regional (Table 3-3) samples collected in the dry season showed a mean amount of 99% monocotyl plants. The amount of dicotyl plants in the diets of puku was highest at P-0 when they reached more than 6% of the diet. Puku diets from other sites showed no dicotyl plants at all. Indicated by the mean amount of fragment areas, Panicum spp. was the first food plant of the puku, followed by Hyparrhenia/Andropogon- grasses, Sporobolus spp. and Brachiaria sp. The amount of different grass species in the diets of puku from different sites in Kasanka NP varied. A total number of 13 different grasses were found in the diets, but not all grasses were found at all sites. Panicum spp. was represented in high amounts in all puku-regional diets, a fact that could not be stated for the other plants. The amount of Sporobolus spp. in the diet varied a lot: puku at P-0 did not consume it at all, whereas this grass was represented in high amounts at P-A, P-B and especially P-E with more than 30%. The amount of Hyparrhenia/Andropogon grasses was similar in variation. Remarkable were the small, but relatively higher amounts of Eragrostis spp. at P-0 and P-E, of Hemarthria altissima at P-G, Melinis nerviglumis at P-D, of Pennisetum sp. at P-0 and of Setaria spp. at P-G. Orzya sp. was found in the diet of puku in a small amount at P-D, as Loudetia sp. at P-F. The values for diet breadth showed high values for P-D and P-G, but small values for P-0, P-A and P-C.
Generally speaking for the analysis, a high amount of fragment areas of monocotyl plant could not be determined up to genus level. This concerned especially the females in the cool dry season, in the hot dry season it was valuable for both sexes. After the onset of the rains undetermined monocotyl plants reached 1/3 to almost 50% of the fragment area.
Concerning puku-regional samples, high amounts of undetermined monocotyl plants were noted for P-A, P-B, P-E and P-G.
Ecology and population status of the puku antelope (Kobus vardonii) in Zambia
Chapter 3: Diet and dietary overlap of puku and other bovids
late rainy season
% SE % SE % SE % SE % SE % SE % SE
plant taxon
dicotyledons 0 0.37 0.29 0.08 0.08 0.09 0.09 0 0.13 0.13 0.08 0.08
total monocotyledons 99.71 0.19 99.09 0.46 99.74 0.26 99.91 0.09 99.93 0.07 99.84 0.13 99.76 0.24
Brachiaria sp. 9.74 4.14 13.81 4.32 27.48 3.96 29.45 8.12 33.30 4.52 45.10 9.00 66.02 3.34
Cynodon sp. 1.10 0.43 0.77 0.51 0 1.64 0.66 0.19 0.19 0.13 0.13 0
Digitaria sp. 0.64 0.40 1.40 0.81 0.48 0.31 0 0.20 0.13 0.32 0.25 0
Eragrostis spp. 2.39 2.09 1.75 1.18 0.90 0.83 1.06 0.74 0.19 0.12 0.35 0.27 0.76 0.27
Hemarthria altissima 0.29 0.21 1.57 1.00 0.38 0.24 1.57 0.90 0.52 0.44 0.51 0.39 0.19 0.19
Hyparrhenia/Anthropogon spp. 4.50 1.71 0.53 0.22 1.38 0.45 2.50 1.10 1.40 0.46 1.55 0.28 2.80 1.08
Loudetia sp. 0 0 0 0.31 0.31 0 0 0
Melinis nerviglumis 0 0 0.19 0.19 0 0 0 0
Oryza sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Panicum spp. 36.04 6.05 25.68 6.16 21.43 3.80 19.44 4.55 22.32 6.37 26.27 4.74 14.40 2.97
Pennisetum sp. 0 0.18 0.18 0 0.07 0.07 0.17 0.17 0 0
Phragmites australis 5.25 3.52 0 0.73 0.73 0.04 0.04 0.39 0.32 1.39 1.39 0
Pogonarthria sp. 0.15 0.15 1.52 1.08 0 0 0.26 0.26 0 0.42 0.42
Setaria spp. 2.90 1.34 1.05 0.49 0.48 0.40 0.93 0.26 0.63 0.30 0.61 0.47 0.07 0.07
Sporobolus spp. 1.97 0.65 33.42 7.56 1.30 0.53 4.37 1.83 1.35 0.47 1.57 0.62 5.63 2.23
Tristachya sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cyperus papyrus 0.41 0.41 0 0 0 0.14 0.14 0.50 0.34 0
undetermined monocotyl 34.33 5.85 17.42 2.97 44.99 6.72 38.53 9.09 38.85 4.15 21.54 7.90 9.46 1.77
undetermined plant-fragment 0.29 0.19 0.55 0.25 0.18 0.18 0 0.07 0.07 0.03 0.03 0.16 0.16
SE SE SE SE SE SE SE
number of food items per sample 7.00 0.97 6.50 0.56 5.33 0.61 7.00 0.63 6.00 0.68 5.83 0.48 5.33 0.42
diet breadth (Levin's index) 2.58 0.40 2.71 0.29 2.42 0.12 2.58 0.32 1.94 0.10 2.13 0.18 1.78 0.15
diet breadth (B standard) 0.09 0.02 0.10 0.02 0.08 0.01 0.09 0.02 0.06 0.01 0.07 0.01 0.05 0.01
number of dung samples 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
number of fragments 600 600 600 600 600 600 600
2011 2010
2009
cool dry season hot dry season onset rains
unknown sex
females males females males females males
Table 3-3: Diet composition and diet characteristics of puku (Kobus vardonii) at different locations within Kasanka NP (puku-regional) in the cool dry season 2009. The amount of each plant species in the diet is given as % from the total fragment area of all observed fragments. SE: Standard error.
P-0 P-A P-B P-C P-D P-E P-F P-G
% SE
dicotyledons 6.59 0.26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.86 0.82
total monocotyledons 93.41 99.74 99.66 100.00 100.00 99.63 100.00 100.00 99.06 0.81
Brachiaria sp. 5.16 9.25 14.55 17.00 22.02 6.06 5.64 22.67 12.79 2.57
Cynodon sp. 0 1.43 0.47 0 0 2.97 0 0 0.61 0.38
Digitaria sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00
Eragrostis spp. 5.36 2.05 2.20 0 2.88 4.90 0 2.00 2.42 0.70
Hemarthria altissima 0 1.54 0 1.54 0.57 0 0 5.06 1.09 0.61
Hyparrhenia/Anthropogon spp. 37.85 0 1.46 36.81 18.99 0.74 33.75 1.07 16.33 6.21
Loudetia sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.24 0 0.15 0.15
Melinis nerviglumis 2.86 0 0 0.84 5.12 0 0.60 0 1.18 0.66
Oryza sp. 0 0 0 0 1.90 0 0 1.09 0.37 0.26
Panicum spp. 13.83 31.13 14.33 17.75 25.57 19.73 18.20 13.84 19.30 2.19
Pennisetum sp. 7.64 0.77 0 0 1.83 0 0 5.39 1.95 1.04
Phragmites australis 0 0 0 0 0 1.35 0 2.69 0.50 0.35
Pogonarthria sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00
Setaria spp. 0 0.85 1.59 0.84 0.75 1.62 0 3.80 1.18 0.43
Sporobolus spp. 0 25.32 23.02 2.32 4.23 30.08 16.21 2.77 12.99 4.27
Tristachya sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00
Cyperus papyrus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.00
undetermined monocotyl 20.71 27.41 42.04 22.92 16.15 32.19 24.37 39.63 28.18 3.23
undetermined plant-fragment 0 0 0.34 0 0 0.37 0 0 0.09 0.06
value SE
number of food items per subsample 7 9 7 7 10 8 6 10 8.00 0.53
diet breadth (Levin's index) 3.03 3.09 3.47 3.02 4.51 3.32 3.24 4.58 3.53 0.23
diet breadth (B standard) 0.12 0.12 0.15 0.12 0.21 0.14 0.13 0.21 0.15 0.01
number of dung samples in subsample 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 46
number of fragments 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 800
Puku-regional-mean
value plant taxon
%
While dung could be collected in both cool dry and hot dry season for sitatunga, reedbuck and sable, samples of buffalo and hartebeest could only be collected during the hot dry season (Table 3-4).
The diet of sitatunga (Table 3-4) was marked by a high amount of monocotyl plants reaching values over 93%. A total number of 11 grasses were found in the diets. The grasses Phragmites australis and Cyperus papyrus were taken in high amounts, 12% and over 32%
respectively, in the cool dry season. In the hot dry season, these grasses were consumed in smaller quantities but the grasses Cynodon sp., Eragrostris spp., Hyparrhenia/Andropogon- grasses and Panicum spp. contributed about 45% to the diet. Grasses of low amounts in the diets were Hemarthria altissima, Setaria spp. and Sporobolus spp. The analyses of the sitatunga samples resulted in very high amounts of undetermined monocotyl plants, exceeding 36% in the cool dry season and 45% in the hot dry season.
Reedbuck (Table 3-4) generally had very high amounts of monocotyl plants in the diet, reaching 99%. A total number of 11 grasses were found in the diets. Half of the diets in the two survey periods consisted of Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses. The second grass was
Panicum spp. with an amount of about 17% in the two seasons, followed by Eragrostis sp.
with almost 17% in the cool dry season and almost 11% in the hot dry season. Loudetia was the fourth-important grass, but reached amounts of 3.3% only. Other grasses, Brachiaria sp., Cynodon sp., Melinis nerviglumis, Setaria spp. and Sporobolus spp. only had low amounts in the diet of reedbuck. The grasses Digitaria sp., Oryza sp., Phragmites australis, Pogonarthria sp., Tristachya sp. and Cyperus papyrus were not found at all. The analysis of the diets of reedbuck resulted in 14% of undetermined monocotyl plants.
The diet of sable antelope (Table 3-4) was marked by a fairly high amount of dicotyl plants in the cool dry season, almost 20%. In the hot dry season, the amount of dicotyl plants was reduced to almost 7%. A number of 13 grasses were observed in the samples. The Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses represented by far the highest amount in the diet in the two seasons reaching a fragment area of more than 41% in the hot dry season. Panicum spp.
and Eragrostis spp. were other main food plants. In the hot dry season, these three grasses made up more than 70% of the sable’s diet. Brachiaria sp. and Melinis nerviglumis were taken in slightly higher amounts (about 3%) in the hot dry season than in the cool dry season. Other grass species were represented in low amount only, e.g. Sporobolus ssp. or Loudetia sp.; or not at, all as, e.g. Digitaria sp.
In the hot dry season, buffalo showed an amount of almost 93% of monocotyl plants in their diets (Table 3-4). With high values of diet breadth, buffalo showed some grasses in similar amounts in their diets; 12 grasses contributed to the diet. The grass with the highest amount was Panicum spp. representing 25%. Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses reached a fragment area of almost 19%. Eragrostis spp. and Cynodon sp. reached more than 12% and more than 13%, respectively. Digitaria sp. was not found to be part of the buffalo’s diet;
Sporobolus spp. was found in a small amount only. Undetermined monocotyl plants summed up to about 14% of the fragment area.
A total number of 10 grass species contributed to the diet of Lichtenstein’s hartebeest in the dry season (Table 3-4). Monocotyl plants were the main component with an amount of almost 98%. Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses had by far the highest amount in the diet, reaching almost 43%. Eragrostis spp. represented about 18% in the diet, Panicum spp. was the third grass reaching an amount of almost 16%. Loudetia sp. reached 3% in the diet.
Other grasses only reach low amounts, e.g. Brachiaria sp., Cynodon sp., Melinis nerviglumis or Sporobolus spp., or were not observed as, e.g., Digitaria sp. Not even 12% of the fragment area belonged to undetermined monocotyl plants.
d population status of the puku antelope (Kobus vardonii) in Zambia
: Diet and dietary overlap of puku and other bovids
117
% SE % SE % SE % SE % SE % SE % SE % SE
plant taxon
dicotyledons 5.04 1.11 1.15 0.75 0.15 0.15 0.38 0.25 19.68 5.77 6.62 2.75 6.01 1.65 2.10 1.36
total monocotyledons 93.53 1.29 96.79 0.96 99.79 0.15 99.36 0.38 79.79 5.82 93.08 2.89 92.63 2.13 97.74 1.32
Brachiaria sp. 0.09 0.09 0 0 0.00 1.23 1.23 0.23 0.23 2.78 1.61 3.10 1.89 0.96 0.57
Cynodon sp. 0.59 0.23 8.02 1.92 0.36 0.18 0.69 0.33 0.15 0.10 0.56 0.10 13.17 6.38 1.61 1.45
Digitaria sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Eragrostis spp. 0.69 0.19 10.34 2.28 15.37 3.95 10.77 1.45 12.81 3.06 7.38 2.74 12.58 3.08 17.81 2.68
Hemarthria altissima 1.09 0.87 0.12 0.12 0.21 0.14 0.95 0.87 0.53 0.53 0.06 0.06 0.23 0.23 0
Hyparrhenia/Anthropogon spp. 5.05 3.62 11.50 4.19 47.77 4.92 48.52 5.30 35.69 6.47 41.35 4.45 18.63 2.38 42.58 3.69
Loudetia sp. 0 0 3.30 1.93 3.33 0.92 1.22 0.93 0.24 0.15 1.09 0.51 3.14 1.04
Melinis nerviglumis 0 0 0.23 0.16 1.47 0.92 2.34 0.70 3.27 2.11 1.97 1.17 1.60 0.60
Oryza sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Panicum spp. 2.84 1.12 14.08 3.72 17.21 3.43 16.61 3.35 14.53 3.60 22.92 5.97 24.91 6.20 15.90 2.07
Pennisetum sp. 0 1.27 1.27 0.63 0.50 0.34 0.34 0.23 0.23 0.12 0.12 1.20 0.48 0
Phragmites australis 32.52 5.50 3.09 1.43 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pogonarthria sp. 0 0 0 0 0.08 0.08 0 0 0
Setaria spp. 0.57 0.32 0.60 0.47 0.26 0.16 0.46 0.29 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.08 0.81 0.36 0.36 0.24
Sporobolus spp. 1.58 0.51 0.52 0.34 0.91 0.32 1.08 0.74 0.09 0.09 0.22 0.12 0.71 0.19 1.74 1.50
Tristachya sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0.52 0.36 0.13 0.13 0.07 0.07
Cyperus papyrus 12.18 4.24 1.86 1.64 0 0 0 0 0 0
undetermined monocotyl 36.23 7.71 45.40 4.87 13.55 1.14 13.92 3.25 11.77 2.24 13.54 1.85 14.11 3.03 11.99 2.20
undetermined plant-fragment 1.43 0.55 2.06 0.45 0.06 0.06 0.26 0.17 0.52 0.38 0.30 0.17 1.36 0.60 0.15 0.10
SE SE SE SE SE SE SE SE
number of food items per sample 8.00 0.45 6.83 0.60 6.33 0.61 6.83 0.60 6.67 0.49 8.17 0.40 9.50 0.62 6.67 0.71
diet breadth (Levin's index) 3.14 0.54 3.92 0.35 2.52 0.24 2.66 0.23 3.29 0.34 2.73 0.09 4.09 0.43 3.14 0.27
diet breadth (B standard) 0.13 0.03 0.17 0.02 0.09 0.01 0.10 0.01 0.13 0.02 0.10 0.01 0.18 0.03 0.13 0.02
number of dung samples 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
number of fragments 600 600 600 600 600 600 600 600
2010 2010
hot dry season 2009
hot dry season
African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) cool dry season hot dry season
2010 2010
2009
Lichtenstein's Hartebeest (Alcelaphus lichtensteinii) cool dry season hot dry season cool dry season
2010 Sitatunga
(Tragelaphus spekii)
hot dry season Reedbuck
(Redunca arundinum)
Sable
(Hippotragus niger) 2009
The grasses Oryza sp., Pogonarthria sp., Pennisetum sp. and Tristachya sp. were not found at all or only in very low amounts in the diets of all bovids in Kasanka NP. Reedbuck, sable and hartebeest were similar concerning the amount of their main food plants especially in the hot dry season. Buffalo was the only bovid species with a relatively high amount of Cynodon sp. Sitatunga consumed Phragmites australis and Cyperus papyrus, mainly in the cool dry season. None of the bovid species showed medium or high amounts of Brachiaria sp. or Sporobolus spp. in their diets as found in the diet of puku.
In Kafue Region, the diet of puku could be evaluated separately for both sexes in all survey periods, although only 2 samples of males were found in the late rainy season. One sample of puku female in Kafue NP turned out 100% dicotyl plants. It is mentioned here only, but not included in tables or statistics. The amount of monocotyl plants was very high, never below 97% of the observed fragment area. This high amount remained rather stable throughout sexes, regions and seasons. A number of 11 grass species were found in the diet of puku in Kafue Region (Table 3-5). While some grasses were noted in high amounts, others were only observed at a few occasions. Panicum spp., Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses, Sporobolus spp. and Brachiaria sp. were represented in the diets at relatively high amounts.
Panicum spp. was the first grass in the diets, having a share between 21% and 45%. For females in Kafue NP, Panicum spp. was second-important, but with not even 15% in the diet.
The Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses ranged mostly secondly – only for males in the late rainy season they reached a very low amount, not even 2%. In PPKR, Sporobolus spp.
reached amounts of 8.3% in the diets in both seasons; in Kafue NP, though, it reached an amount of 17% in males and even 28% in females. In Kafue NP, Brachiaria sp. was detected in higher amounts in males than in females, 6.5% were opposed to 1%. In PPKR, this grass had higher amounts in both sexes in the late rainy season, when it reached 8% in females and 13% in males. Eragrostis spp. was the fifth grass reaching generally higher amounts in the cool dry season in the two study areas. Digitaria sp. had relatively low percentages in the diet, but reached slightly higher values in the late rainy season. Other grasses in the diets were Cynodon sp. and Pogonarthria sp. On a few occasions, the grasses Loudetia sp., Phragmites australis and Setaria spp. were found. Hemarthria altissima, Melinis nerviglumis, Oryza sp., Pennisetum sp., Tristachya sp. and Cyperus papyrus were not observed at all.
In all seasons, in all study areas and for both males and females, the amount of monocotyledons was generally very high and never less than 97% in the diet. The amount of
undetermined monocotyl fragments was generally high, too. The males in the late rainy season and the females in Kafue NP exceed 38% or more than 35%, respectively. Only in females in the late rainy season and in males in Kafue NP, the amount was at 22% or 24%.
In the cool dry season, the diet of impala had a high amount of dicotyledons (Table 3-6) in the two study areas, making up 2/3 or more of the diet. In the cool dry season Panicum spp. was the first grass in the diet, but did not reach amounts over 10%.
Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses and Sporobolus spp. were of importance in the two study regions, whereas Eragrostis spp. and Brachiaria sp. had low amounts in the cool dry season.
In the late rainy season the amount of dicotyledons was 17%. Hyparrhenia/Andropogon- grasses reached almost 30% of the fragment area in the diet. Panicum was second reaching 20%. Sporobolus spp., Digitaria sp. and Brachiaria sp. reached medium values. Generally, eight grasses were noted in the diet of impala. The amount of undetermined monocotyls covered less than 10%, almost half of all fragment areas of monocotyl plants in the cool dry season and less than 20% in the late rainy season.
Dung of defassa waterbuck was only found on three occasions in the cool dry season and only in Kafue NP. The diet split up almost equally in monocotyl and dicotyl plants (Table 3-6). A number of 6 grasses were recorded. Panicum spp. had the highest amount, representing almost 18% of the diet. Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses were second- common in the diet with an amount of 9%. Melinis nerviglumis and Eragrostis spp. reached relatively low values. Other grasses in the diet were Cynodon sp. and Sporobolus spp.
Undetermined monocotyl plants reached an amount of 17%.
Especially in the cool dry season, the diets of impala differed from those of the puku by a high amount of dicotyl plants. In the late rainy season, impala changed their diets towards a higher amount of grasses. Waterbuck had a high amount of dicotyls in their diet, too. Concerning grasses, all antelopes studied in Kafue Region had a high or the highest amount of Panicum spp. in their diets. Hyparrhenia/Andropogon-grasses were taken by all antelopes, but to a different extent in all seasons and study areas. In Kafue Region, puku was the only antelopes that took Sporobolus spp. in considerable amounts.
Table 3-5: Diet composition and diet characteristics of puku (Kobus vardonii) in Kafue Region: at different locations and at different seasons. The amount of each plant species in the diet is given as % from the total fragment area of all observed fragments. SE: Standard error.
% SE % SE % SE % SE % SE % SE
plant taxon
dicotyledons 2.49 0.73 2.35 0.87 0.86 0.43 - 1.57 0.67 2.11 1.00
total monocotyledons 97.27 0.68 97.17 1.11 98.99 0.56 100.00 0.00 98.10 0.61 97.65 1.03
Brachiaria sp. 5.44 1.80 3.55 1.69 8.03 2.89 13.12 0.94 0.93 0.50 6.48 2.07
Cynodon sp. 0.46 0.36 0 0 0.82 0.82 0.53 0.37 1.19 0.84
Digitaria sp. 0.53 0.34 1.03 0.65 2.12 1.25 2.81 2.81 1.02 0.48 1.73 0.95
Eragrostis spp. 4.30 2.39 7.39 3.31 3.65 1.57 1.68 0.88 6.28 2.34 4.35 1.19
Hemarthria altissima 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hyparrhenia/Anthropogon spp. 17.10 2.21 20.85 1.14 11.70 2.40 1.70 0.78 9.83 2.82 21.30 3.43
Loudetia sp. 0.23 0.23 0 0 0 0 0
Melinis nerviglumis 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oryza sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0
Panicum spp. 32.36 2.59 29.05 6.06 45.22 3.76 40.35 25.55 14.67 3.19 21.54 6.12
Pennisetum sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0
Phragmites australis 0 0 0 0 0.28 0.28 0
Pogonarthria sp. 0.57 0.57 0 0 0 1.22 0.79 0
Setaria spp. 0 0 0 0.57 0.57 0 0
Sporobolus spp. 5.53 2.70 8.33 5.43 6.09 2.22 0.76 0.76 28.11 9.12 17.15 3.22
Tristachya sp. 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cyperus papyrus 0 0 0 0 0 0
undetermined monocotyl 30.75 3.61 26.97 1.90 22.19 2.41 38.18 19.88 35.22 3.25 23.91 1.73
undetermined plant-fragment 0.25 0.16 0.48 0.48 0.14 0.14 0 0.33 0.33 0.24 0.17
SE SE SE SE SE SE
number of food items per sample 6.50 0.56 5.80 0.37 0.21 0.52 6.00 2.00 7.00 0.32 6.50 0.56
diet breadth (Levin's index) 3.19 0.28 3.09 0.27 2.55 0.21 2.84 1.37 3.20 0.59 3.78 0.39
diet breadth (B standard) 0.13 0.02 0.12 0.02 0.09 0.01 0.11 0.08 0.13 0.03 0.16 0.02
number of dung samples 6 5 6 2 5 6
number of fragments 600 500 600 200 500 600
females males
females males females males
PPKR NP
cool dry season late rainy season cool dry season
2010 2011 2010
Table 3-6: Diet composition and diet characteristics of other antelopes in Kafue Region at different locations and at different seasons. The amount of each plant species in the diet is given as % from the total fragment area of all observed fragments. SE: Standard error.
% SE % SE % SE % SE
plant taxon
dicotyledons 76.04 4.55 17.07 1.66 67.60 4.22 51.09 6.86
total monocotyledons 23.57 4.72 82.44 1.78 32.24 4.25 48.91 6.86
Brachiaria sp. 0.20 0.20 3.38 1.26 0.98 0.98 0
Cynodon sp. 0 0.97 0.68 0 0.43 0.24
Digitaria sp. 0 3.66 1.73 0.19 0.12 0
Eragrostis spp. 1.03 0.49 1.23 0.79 0.27 0.27 1.58 1.04
Hemarthria altissima 0 0 0 0
Hyparrhenia/Anthropogon spp. 3.33 1.71 28.57 4.58 6.79 2.87 8.68 3.56
Loudetia sp. 0 0 0 0
Melinis nerviglumis 0 0 0 2.82 2.82
Oryza sp. 0 0 0 0
Panicum spp. 7.48 2.80 20.73 5.06 9.56 2.19 17.74 3.89
Pennisetum sp. 0 0 0 0
Phragmites australis 0 0 0 0
Pogonarthria sp. 0.85 0.85 0 0 0
Setaria spp. 0 0 0 0
Sporobolus spp. 1.52 0.61 4.05 2.32 6.84 2.96 0.89 0.60
Tristachya sp. 0 0 0 0
Cyperus papyrus 0 0 0 0
undetermined monocotyl 9.15 1.84 19.84 4.35 7.62 2.01 16.77 2.92
undetermined plant-fragment 0.39 0.25 0.50 0.17 0.15 0.10 0
SE SE SE SE
number of food items per sample 4.50 0.22 6.17 0.48 4.17 0.40 5.33 0.33
diet breadth (Levin's index) 1.43 0.13 3.66 0.40 1.79 0.13 2.32 0.34
diet breadth (B standard) 0.03 0.01 0.16 0.02 0.05 0.01 0.08 0.02
number of dung samples 6 6 6 3
number of fragments 600 600 600 300
Impala
(Aepyceros melampus) Impala
(Aepyceros melampus)
2010 cool dry season
PPKR NP
Waterbuck
(Kobus ellipsiprymnus) cool dry season late rainy season
2011 2010